No hiding place for fly tippers

[M J D Brown]

In his apologia published in the Daily Telegraph on Friday 1st February 
Sir Paul Kennedy claims that reports of phones being tapped at the rate 
of 1000 each day are misleading and likely to cause unnecessary concern. 
He bases that assertion on the narrow legalistic distinction between 
interception and the collection of data.

Readers of this list are, of course, entirely familiar with such 
logic-chopping spin, but I suggest that the proverbial man on the 
Clapham omnibus will recognise that his private business is being 
'intercepted' when information provided solely for the purpose of making 
and paying for a communications service is obtained by people for whom 
such information is not intended.  Nor is it legitimate for Kennedy to 
arrogate unto himself a judgement as to whether people's concern are 
unnecessary; that judgement belongs solely to the people who are the 
subjects of official intrusion.

All the evidence is that citizens have every right these days to be 
deeply suspicious of the motives and judgement of persons whose next 
preferment is at the pleasure and patronage of politicans.

Mike.